The young pop idol is more than just “Good Tits and a Big Heart” in live show
Newly minted pop superstar Reneè Rapp descended from a cloud of satin drapery onto her star-shaped riser at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Monday night (Oct 6th). Rapp opened with “Everything to Everyone” and “Leave Me Alone,” setting the tone for the night on her Bite Me Tour
In a military green denim zip-up slick covered with a sequined bustier of muted rainbow colors, Rapp ran through 20-plus songs in just about 90 minutes. She has a fierce badass energy that attracts fans like flies to honey. Her I-could-give-a-rip attitude was parodied in the opening video, where a clearly-over-it Rapp is harangued by her entire team. (All played by Rapp herself, a former actress.)
The stage set is luxurious and not overdone. A front grand curtain hides the band risers and checkered floor. A sheer drape is hung in front of her main LED screen, creating a dreamy effect for her projections. It’s like stepping inside a posh ballroom.
She told the (very, very, VERY loud) crowd that her grandmother was at this show. A homey touch that Rapp returned to a few times throughout the set.
Rapp is joined on stage by a full cadre of musicians. Much like many fellow pop stars, the effect of playing live turns the music from pop artifice to pure rock. However, Rapp still, at times, sings along to a backing track of her own voice, often as loud as she is. Though she doesn’t try to hide it.
Rapp’s live voice is as enticing as her stage persona. If vocals can be addicting, hers certainly are. A standout is “Shy,” which has echoes of two other powerful females: Alanis and Avril. She growls it out with such passion, the notes nearly blow you back into your seat.
Rapp’s voice is best, however, when she strips away her tracked vocals. There’s a purity to her voice that instills hope for this new generation of pop stars. “Why is She Still Here” had this reviewer’s jaw on the floor at the sheer perfection of her tone. Unfamiliar with her work before plopping down in my seat, it was at this point that I texted our editor, “She’s actually really fucking good.”
Another beautiful moment: She sat sadly on top of a piano in front of the lush, draped curtain and gave performances of “Love” and “Sometimes,” both emotionally deep songs. Rapp took pains to explain her impetuous for writing both—a bad breakup—before singing them with accompaniment from just her pianist, as she lay flat across it.
It’s true that I never cease to be amazed when a pop star is—shocker—talented. But in a world where access to autotune, TikTok, and a publicist can turn anyone into a star, I’m immediately skeptical of the fame of anyone whom I perceive to be a result of that machine.
But Rapp rejected that machine. She walked away from acting and the pressures of viral fame to focus on one thing: music. And it’s damn good music at that.
That’s the whole conceit of this tour. The world wanted her to be one thing, and she used that prior success to carve her own path. Despite what the purveyors of the constant attention-needing, content-spitting economy of instant gratification were telling her, Rapp looked at them and said, well, Bite Me.
